


A Woman's Duty

by UltraVioletSoul



Category: Call of Duty
Genre: Cousin Incest, F/M, Kotch has such a way with the ladies, Misogyny, Squick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-20 20:17:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9511613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UltraVioletSoul/pseuds/UltraVioletSoul
Summary: You were supposed to be a good girl and do as your father said.[[ Salen Kotch x F!Reader ]]





	1. i.

**Author's Note:**

> I know I still haven’t finished the other Kotch fic, but I promise this one is complete so you won’t have to wait too much for me to get my butt in gear. I only need to revise and edit part two and hopefully we’ll have a two-shot. Clouded Judgement is still in the works, as well as several of my other projects *curls in a ball in the corner and cries*. This is what I get for writing like three different stories at the same time.
> 
> This one in particular takes place several years before the events of Infinite Warfare and Kotch is younger, of course. Either way, I hope you enjoy it orz
> 
> Thanks to Lucía and Lala for the help and support. Love ya!
> 
> * * *
> 
> **Disclaimer:** I don’t own Call of Duty Infinite Warfare or its characters. They all belong to Activision and Infinity Ward. No copyright infringement intended. All I’m trying to do is provide entertainment to the readers and by no means do I have lucrative purposes.
> 
> * * *
> 
> **Warnings:** Unbetaed work. Misogyny. Implied abuse. Squick. Cousincest (depending on your views on such relationships). Possible OoC. OCs. English isn’t my first language.

**Part I**

Senet was said to be the oldest board game in the history of mankind and it was one you enjoyed playing with your father, Emin, whenever you had the chance to see him. Those moments weren’t a common occurrence, unfortunately. As a member of the High Council of the Settlement Defense Front, he was a man with many responsibilities to deal with. Nonetheless, he always made time for you in his busy schedule and that was something that had always filled you with joy.

Despite the fact that sons were coveted and treasured over daughters— for the reason that boys were the future soldiers that would serve the regime— there was no denying Emin always had a predilection for you, out of all his children. It was no secret that your mother, one of his many concubines, had been his most beloved mistress when she was alive. Not even his lady wife had been the recipient of such open affections, but that probably was because their marriage was based on convenience rather than some sort of emotional attachment.

No one had told you much about your mother, and she had passed away when you were too young to remember. However, you had a strong suspicion that she’d been born in Earth and was brought to Mars during the Secession Wars. The fact that she had no known relatives to speak of, in a society where large families were the norm, made you consider the possibility. Not to mention the patent animosity your father’s wife seemed to have for the memory of his former lover, despite the fact she’d never been bothered by other women warming her husband’s bed.

It wouldn’t be strange if she had been a prisoner of war once, taken to this planet against her will as loot, though you had no way to confirm the veracity of this story. What you knew was that she’d caught the eye of a senior ranking officer and initiated a love affair from which you were born.

The practice of men—particularly those who held great influence and privileges— of having Earthen women as mistresses wasn’t uncommon back in the day, and it had been an inevitable outcome of the war. You’d met several of these ladies during your lifetime, and most of them had gladly accepted— or appeared to, at least— the attentions bestowed upon them but, of course, that could have been just a front. However, there were also whispers about their unhappy lives behind closed doors, which made you question yourself whether your mother had been in the same situation before. In spite of your suspicions, Emin refused to go into detail about her past and it only served to strengthen those beliefs. Still, after all these years, he lamented her demise and sought your company because of how much you reminded him of her.

While part of you longed to uncover the truth, another doubted if it was a good idea. If he kept you ignorant of it for so long, then maybe it was meant to never be disclosed. The implications of such reflections didn’t bode anything good and, to be honest, you were scared to find out what really happened to her, so you chose to believe Emin’s version— that she’d caught some sort of incurable disease and succumbed to it. At least it would be easier to stomach than the idea of her having a miserable existence because of your father’s obsession.

You threw the senet sticks and got three white sides, the number you needed to get your last pawn out of the board. With a clap of excitement, you announced, “oh, it seems victory is mine once more!”

“Well done, my kitten,” Emin commented rather amused as he eyed his many pawns that had been left behind. “You’re merciless at this game, just like your mother used to be.”

Going by the stories he shared with you, your mother had been an enthusiast of senet and played with him on numerous occasions. She was proficient and very few people could beat her. Such was her fondness for this game that Emin had gifted her a turquoise box with exquisite engravings, completed by a set of pieces carved in black sapphire and white opal— an acquisition that now belonged to you, her only daughter.

“Don’t exaggerate, dad. You’ve always given me trouble when we play, but I noticed you’ve been distracted today. Is something on your mind?”

“Perhaps,” he mumbled with a lazy smile, gazing at you with softness before taking your hand in his. “Have I told you how beautiful you’re growing each day that passes?”

Rolling your eyes playfully, you giggled in delight. “A parent always thinks their children are the most beautiful creatures in existence and you, sir, are no exception to the rule.”

“But more than sharing an opinion, I am stating a fact. You are a beautiful young lady and, though you may not have noticed, I’ve seen the longing you stir in the hearts of men— the looks they give you whenever you are with me.”

“I find that hard to believe. Who would be stupid enough to leer at the daughter of a great councilman unless they had a death wish?” you joked, resisting the urge to cackle as you put the pieces in place for another game that you’d definitely win again.

“Indeed, but you would be surprised at how daring some of them can be. After all, women are fair but dangerous creatures that can make us lose our minds if given the chance. Your mother did that to me,” he laughed, before letting go of your hand to sip at his glass of cool beverage that you’d requested to have prepared— along with other snacks to spend the evening together in the garden pond of the greenhouse. “Speaking of surprises, I have one for you but I was wondering whether I should tell you now or wait until everything is arranged.”

“Oh, what is it?” you asked excitedly, shifting to sit on your knees on the divan. “Now that you’ve spoken, you can’t leave me in suspense!”

“Ah, some things never change, do they? But sometimes it’s difficult for me to remember that you’re not that little girl with pigtails anymore, clinging to my legs and begging me to carry her in my arms.”

What was he going on about? “Dad, you’re acting strange today.”

“My dear, you know there comes a time when a father knows he needs to let his children walk their own path in life. Your brothers have already followed in my steps and swore to serve and protect our home with their lives, if necessary. I have no worries about them as they can fend for themselves, but for a woman the reality is different. She has no one else to care for her other than her parents or her husband, and that is where the deepest concern for me lies.” Suddenly, everything started to make sense and you were aware of where this conversation was heading. You weren’t sure if you’d like what he was going to say as an idea formed in the back of your mind, and you couldn’t say you were thrilled by it. “It is the duty of her parents to secure her future—”

“You mean marry her off to someone,” you blurted out and, suddenly, the amenable mood became awkward whilst your father cleared his throat.

“I won’t live forever, unfortunately. It’s imperative for me to see you well cared for while I’m still alive, so I can be at peace knowing I made the right choice. What is more, I would like to see my grandchildren— your children— running around the house,” he paused, taking notice of the displeased purse of your lips. “Why the sad face? Is it such a bad prospect for you? Any young lady would be happy to hear these news.”

Well, from what you’d seen, some of your sisters and cousins hadn’t been happy about it. Alas, in most cases their opinions weren’t taken into account, so you doubted you’d be brimming with joy when it was your turn.

“You said there was an arrangement. May I ask who do you have in mind?” The mirth in your voice had vanished despite your best efforts to sound unaffected.

“You don’t have to worry about it. I have found a suitable man for you and I trust he will take good care of my daughter.”

“Who is he?” you insisted, trying to conceal your frustration as you didn’t want to be disrespectful.

Nothing could prepare you for the shock of his revelation, however.

“Salen,” Emin said without further preamble, and all was silent as you took a moment to process what he’d told you. You blinked in confusion, and when the name finally registered in your mind it was impossible to hold back a noise of discontent or hide the dismay on your face.

“Salen?!” You couldn’t believe it. Did your father actually intend for you to marry _him_? To you such a union had been unthinkable and, if you were given a choice, you would never be with your cousin even if he was the last man left in the solar system.

Ever since he was a child, he’d done nothing but torment you and you couldn’t feel affection for him as a friend, let alone see him as a man and definitely not your husband. He was nothing but an arrogant youth who had always gotten on your nerves by antagonizing and making you feel you were worth nothing— mainly because your mother was an Earthen, as though his ancestry hadn’t hailed from that planet too. The fact that you’d never been keen in putting up with this sort of behavior, and on several occasions argued with him, made his attitude much worse, as he’d always thought that being a girl meant that you had to submit to his wishes and his every whim. But you refused to be complacent with Salen and so you’d always clashed— an aggressive trait of your personality that you’d unfortunately inherited from your mother, your father’s wife had observed once. It didn’t help the fact his parents tried to make up excuses for him by saying he liked you but didn’t know how to approach you, as though such inane reasons justified his ill-mannered actions.

However, when it began to escalate into physical fights, it was decided that you should perhaps not see each other for some time since your parents didn’t want to encourage aggression between you two. As the memory played in your mind, you started to wonder if your father and his brother hadn’t been planning this match for a long time, and whether that was the reason they insisted so much for you two to reach an understanding.

When Salen was taken away by the SDF for military service, as it was mandatory for every male scion in Mars, you couldn’t believe you’d actually been sorry to see him leave. While not much was known about what happened during the period of training and military education, except to those men who had actually gone through it, there were some shady stories that the friend of a cousin of someone else’s friend had heard. Needless to say, their nature was scary and they seemed to gain credibility when the sons of some families returned as corpses— dead by a tragic accident, the explanation went in most cases. It was disturbing to see mothers with their hearts broken as they mourned, and fathers who wouldn’t even show grief for the son they’d lost.

Something was very wrong and you’d feared for your brother, who had left almost a year ago and… even for Salen. You’d hoped that his time away would make him mature and value his family and friends more. You were willing to put differences aside, if he changed his ways and respected you more— acknowledged that he’d treated you poorly all those years.

Well, he changed but not for the better as you had expected. Instead, those flaws in his character became unbearable as he grew more unfeeling towards others and authoritarian when it came to those he considered were beneath him. What could have been the start of a friendship with him went sour, and you abandoned your efforts when you realized he still cared little about what his words and actions did to you. Whatever happened while he was away, it had most certainly affected him deep inside but you didn’t think you could ever have the chance of a heart-to-heart.

“What’s the problem?” Emin arched an eyebrow and you frowned, looking away. You’d never wanted to disobey your father but this idea was… absurd to put it lightly. What on Mars made him believe that you and his nephew would be an ideal couple?

“Father, you know Salen and I never really got along. It seemed like hate at first sight when we met and he doesn’t find me agreeable, neither do I him. I would prefer a man that’s better suited for me, if I’m to marry.”

“Nonsense, it was a silly childish spat. You know how boys tend to be, always assertive and domineering among their peers, but that’s how they are. You can’t blame him for trying to impress you, either. I’m sure he only wanted to catch the attention of the prettiest girl he’d ever seen in his life.”

“He mistreated me because he wanted to impress me? Sorry, but that’s just one big fallacy. If you like someone, you don’t treat them—”

“(Y/N)…”

“With condescension and disdain. I can’t stand his superiority complex and being in the same room as him is unbearable. I cannot imagine what an ordeal being his wife would be.”

While you’d been taught to be demure and not very outspoken in the presence of men, given that boldness was an undesired quality in a woman, Salen’s conceit and disregard for your feelings was enough to make you forget your manners. It was something that had brought trouble to you on several occasions, so you preferred to avoid him altogether.

“Salen may be rough around the edges when it comes to the ladies, and I’m aware of that, but I wouldn’t have chosen him if I wasn’t certain of what kind of man is my future son-in-law.”

“You are a crocodile…” you muttered with squinted eyes. “Don’t you feel sorry for your poor daughter?”

“You are precious to me and that is why I’m doing what I consider best. Salen will be admiral of his own fleet in a matter of years, and I have no doubts that one day he’ll be part of the High Council. He is a brilliant and capable leader with a promising future ahead. Your mother and I think he’s the best suitor for you and I won’t settle for lesser than him.”

He meant your adoptive mother— his wife, of course. To be honest, you were hardly surprised to discover she was involved in this decision. Despite what Emin would want to believe, she’d never been much fond of you and surely saw this as an opportunity to get rid of your presence in her house. You had no problems in giving her what she wanted, but she could have at least tried to persuade her husband to find you someone else.

It wasn’t her fault, however, as she had no choice but to do what you father said.

There were better options you could have considered but Emin would never allow you to choose a man of low rank, as that would be a clear disparity of social classes. Status was determined by ties and loyalties to the Front, so the higher a man was in the chain of command in the military the more prominent and influential his family became. It happened this way because your society was heavily patriarchal, and women were more or less confined to the sidelines. For those who were daughters of the council— like you— their options were very limited, and they ended up being given away in marriage to other officers in most cases. On the other hand, women that belonged to the lower classes had relatively more freedom to choose what they wanted to do, so to speak, whether it was working for an income or staying home to care for their families. They were encouraged to serve the SDF in support roles, study and get degrees, as well as develop professionally, but under no circumstances were allowed to take arms and, as far as you could remember, you’d never seen any woman occupying positions of power or being part of the High Council.

The military was most certainly a world dominated by men, but there was a good reason why the SDF wished to keep females at home. After all, it was a woman’s duty producing children for the regime and raising the soldiers of tomorrow. Considering the population of Mars was still small compared with that of Earth, it made sense they wanted to preserve their means to procreate. In this aspect, the task seemed to be of utmost importance to the SDF. Without women, there wouldn’t be anyone to give birth to the children that would add to their armed forces. In spite of this, it was a sad irony that a baby girl wasn’t received in the family with the same joy as a boy— and, sometimes, it was considered a disappointment.

“Are you listening to me?”

“He will never agree to this.” You tried to convince yourself this couldn’t be happening.

“Believe it or not he already did and, unlike you, trusted his father’s judgement. Now I do hope you see reason and accept him, too. Years ago, I promised your uncle Valeriy if your mother was expecting a girl that she’d be Salen’s wife. You don’t want to break his heart, do you? After all, you’re his favorite niece.”

He wouldn’t change his mind that easily, would he? You’d never thought Salen would accept but, according to your father, he did and it left you at a loss for words. Of course, that didn’t mean Salen had feelings for you— something you considered very unlikely and neither did you find appealing— as this had nothing to do with what both of you wanted. Despite his sisters always teased that he was interested in you in a more romantic level, you’d never wanted to believe it. They were only making fun of you because you couldn’t stand being told that you and Salen should just kiss and makeup, as though you were in an obligation to feed his ego. The nerve they had…

“I know, but…” _We won’t be happy together_ , that was what you wanted to say but would it matter, at all? As a daughter, you had to do what your patriarch said and Salen had to do the same but, unlike you, he had a way out of an unhappy marriage. He could keep as many mistresses as he wanted, if he didn’t have them already, while you’d be expected to remain faithful to him throughout the years.

Maybe being married to a man you didn’t love would make it easier to watch him bestow his favors on other women. At least you wouldn’t be jealous of them or their children but, still, the thought that this was the kind of life you’d have to content yourself with was… depressing.

A hand caressed your cheek and you stared into Emin’s dark brown eyes, knowing you wouldn’t be able to refuse. “In time you will see I was right, my kitten.”

If only it were true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, oh gosh, I’m always happy to post more works for readers to enjoy.
> 
> I tried to do a little world building with the information available in the game. Yep, the SDF military and society of Mars are dominated by men and there’s not much gender equality like in the UNSA. Have you seen the wanted board in Reyes’s quarters? The big fishes of the SDF are all men and there are no women in power.
> 
> Concubines? Well, there was one colonel who apparently had like 24 children and another councilman had 12 children, which implies their families may be large, so a good possibility is that these men (or, at least, high-ranking officers) have mistresses. The biographies also mention patriarchs.
> 
> Why do I think the SDF training is brutal and may be the cause of death of several recruits? In the wanted board we have Nicholas Rado, a SDF major, whose name seemed to appear quite a lot in the descriptions of the SDF training methods. Not much is explained in his biography, but it mentions that one of his training exercises was pushing recruits out into the vacuum of space with minimal oxygen reserves and a punctured suit. Those who failed died, of course. I’m pretty sure there are more terrible examples of these methodologies they use to ‘harden’ their draftees, who are child soldiers seeing as the age of conscription in the SDF is 12 (and it’s compulsory for all males).


	2. ii.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here’s the second and final part, yay me! I managed to finish a fic at long last.
> 
> Not much to say other than… I feel aliiiiiive! Now I should complete my other projects and stop procrastinating by watching and reading weird things that steal my sleep. Also, I need to stop inserting plot in every smut I want to write because I usually wind up with long stories that take about 10+ chapters to get to the good stuff. Bad habit of mine…
> 
> Hope you enjoy and, well… eem, see you later.
> 
> * * *
> 
> **Warnings:** Unbetaed work. Misogyny. Implied abuse. Squick. Cousincest (depending on your views on such relationships). Possible OoC. OCs. English isn’t my first language.

**Part II**

Marriage and sexual relations between first cousins weren’t strange or new practices in your world; in fact, such unions were thought to be beneficial— even encouraged, sometimes— as it created stronger bonds and kept the wealth within the family. Generally speaking, it was thought that both parties would be more comfortable in a relationship with a relative than a stranger, given that they knew each other beforehand. Of course, a study on the groom’s and bride’s genetic codes was carried out to avoid any unwanted surprises that could appear during the conception of a child. But even if that was the case, gene therapy solved virtually every problem by then.

Your elder sisters had taken vows with the sons of other important figures in the council. Being the child of a concubine yourself, you wouldn’t be allowed to do the same but your father wanted to give you a chance to have what he considered a ‘good marriage’. While you appreciated his concern, you very much preferred being with a nobody whom you could grow to love one day. That would never happen on his watch, unfortunately, and while you didn’t like the idea— for your cousins were like siblings to you, despite the fact that Salen acted as anything but— you knew there were far worse situations than this. Such was the case of a man who had turned one of his half-sisters into his mistress, as they weren’t legally permitted to marry, though you doubted she’d been happy to be the focus of his attentions. It was most disturbing to think this could become the norm in the future, but something deep inside your heart told you that it’d always been this way despite many efforts to conceal the truth and keep up appearances.

At least Salen had never tried to force himself on you, but it was difficult to tell for how long he’d remain like this. Once you married, you would have no choice but to submit and do as he said. It was the duty of a woman to obey her husband and give him descendants, the same way a man had to care for his wife and ensure she and their children wanted for nothing.

To be honest, you weren’t looking forward to it.

Before you realized it, Victory Day came. It was an important date for your people to commemorate the Secession Wars and celebrate the liberation of Mars from Earth’s yoke. Cydonia being the capital and core of the Martian economy and military power— as it was the location of Tharsis 02, one of the biggest and most important shipyards of the SDF— was the epicenter of these festivities that lasted for many sols. The metropolis was busy with exceptional parades and demonstrations of the prowess of the SDF armed forces that, you’d heard on numerous occasions, would put Earth’s to shame. Being the daughter of a hierarch, you were required to attend these events with your family and, of course, there was the private celebration reserved for members of the council and other families of renown.

On this occasion it was held in the residence of your father. Given that you were in your own house you’d chosen to retire to a safe haven, with the excuse that you were tired after a long day, despite the objections of your father’s wife. In truth, you had no wish to see Salen and she knew that you wanted to avoid him. Emin, on the other hand, was more understanding and allowed you to take your leave. At any rate, he knew you’d be spending a lot of time with your future husband… until one of you decided to die.

“I admit I never thought you and Salen would end up together. I thought it was only our parents joking because you were always arguing,” your sister Kalyna said, which prompted you to roll your eyes. The engagement had been announced not long ago during a familiar dinner and, while your siblings and cousins had congratulated you on the decision, you couldn’t say you shared their thrill.

“Seriously, must we talk about him now of all times? Are you trying to make me lose concentration, so you can win in Hounds and Jackals? That’s cheating, I’ll have you know.” Gently you petted the cat dozing off on your lap, eliciting contented purrs from her, whilst Kalyna heaved a weary sigh and regarded you with unease.

“You refuse to talk every time someone mentions the topic, but I see you’re distressed and that’s not a good sign. If only you would open up to me, then maybe I could help you deal with this. I know how you’re feeling because I was in your place once.” Her green eyes focused on the board, as she paused for a moment to move one of her pieces before nodding at you. “It’s your turn.”

“If I cannot avoid it, then I’ll ignore it. As simple as that.” Grabbing the sticks, you rolled them in your hands and cast them. A smile appeared on your lips, then. “Oh, triplets!”

“Um, I’m afraid that’s not how it works. You’re only blinding yourself to—”

“I don’t care.” It was a lie, of course. You did care, but there was nothing you could do about it. If your father said you were getting married to Salen, you would have to do it whether you agreed or not. “Don’t ruin such a lovely evening, please.”

“I understand you’re upset at these news, but this is an important event in the life of any woman and our father is a prominent member of the High Council.”

“ _That_ is the problem. He could have chosen anyone to be my husband yet, for some caprice of him and his brother, he decided that Salen is the best option for me. How tragic do you think that is? I’ll be stuck with a bastard for the rest of my life!”

“You know, I don’t think Salen is as bad as you believe him to be. Maybe if you actually gave him a chance, you would discover attractive qualities about him.” She was trying so hard to make you see the good side of your misfortune, but her kind words didn’t offer any solace for you.

“He has had plenty of chances to fix the wrong he’s done, but he’s not even sorry. What makes you think he will be a better man after we sign a contract that practically makes me his property?”

“It’s not as terrible as it sounds. The more you resist, the more difficult it’s going to be getting used. It happened to me with Erazem, and I was unhappy at first… but I promise it’ll get better once you start to accept him. Otherwise, trust me, you’re not going to have a good time.”

Other people would say you were overreacting and you probably were, given your circumstances and the fact you’d always known this would happen one day, but you didn’t really want to marry Salen. Time and again, it had been proven that you’d never understand each other so what was the point in trying to force a relationship between you and him? Willingly or not, your father was condemning you to a life of misery. You knew that you would never have hope of finding love or happiness with someone like your cousin, who seemed incapable of any kind gesture or affection. It was sad recalling that you’d once pitied the woman who would one day become his wife, only for you to be the one.

“Why is it always the same story? It shouldn’t have to be this way. We are not things!” you grumbled, flinging one of the jackal pegs to the floor with such force that it split in two. The racket scared your poor cat and she jumped off your lap, rushing to hide somewhere, as you watched the head of the pawn skid a distance away from you until it came to a stop near a pair of black leather shoes.

To your dismay, Salen had to appear at the most convenient of times, accompanied by his younger sister Roshan. His arm was linked to hers as they walked in the room, but he let go of the girl to pick up the strange item that had seemingly materialized out of nowhere, staring at it with casual interest before giving you a knowing look that did very little to put you at ease. Salen approached with the aplomb of a man who owns the world, not an ounce of hesitation or modesty in him, and you had to divert your gaze from his smug expression lest he’d take it as a silent invitation to test your patience.

He came to a stop by your side and greeted Kalyna briefly, then focused his attention on you as he tossed the head of the jackal at you. “Did you lose your head, my sweet?”

_What a charming man he was…_

Rolling your eyes in disgust, you held the item with the tip of your fingers and set it aside with a grimace. “Oh, Salen, each day I’m more convinced you’re the reason we can’t have nice things.”

“It’s good to see you both,” your sister greeted apologetically, trying to lighten up the mood, and Roshan seemed to find the situation hilarious for some reason.

“Why the long face, (Y/N)? Come on, you should be all smiles for your fiancé,” she teased, prompting an irritated huff from you.

“If he wants me to smile, then he should give me a reason to.”

“I would, dear cousin, but where is the fun in that?” Salen’s reply didn’t surprise you at all. It was evident that pestering you had always been one of his favorite pastimes, for as long as you could remember.

“I swear you two are like children,” Kalyna lamented whilst you eyed him out of the corner of your eye, assessing his appearance with subtlety. In this occasion he donned his navy blue full dress uniform, sporting several medals on his double-breasted jacket to account for his exemplary service since the beginning of his military career, and the stars on his golden and black shoulder boards denoted his recent promotion as Captain 1st Rank.

He removed the peaked cap from his head— revealing dark hair that was smoothly slicked back underneath—, placed it on the divan you were sitting on and unbuttoned the high collar of his jacket. While you could have agreed that he looked particularly handsome that evening, you would never entertain such asinine thoughts of infatuation for him.

Your gaze followed the trail of his facial scar, from the center of his forehead to his right cheek— an old wound that you’d found appalling, when you saw him for the first time after his return from training and naval college. It was an ‘accident’ that nearly cost him his eye and his career, his sisters had explained. Something, indeed, was very wrong though you couldn’t dig much deeper into the issue and you were scared to do so. Those who dared question the regime had disappeared in mysterious ways and were never seen again. No one would tell you what was going on but you weren’t an idiot. The name of Intracore, the police that enforced the law on Martian territory and executed the will of the High Council, was enough to give anyone second thoughts about being nothing but happy to serve the SDF.

“Dear Kalyna, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Roshan’s voice interrupted your train of thought, and your elder sister turned to the youngster with a curious expression on her face.

“And what would that be?”

However, Roshan seemed a little withdrawn suddenly, and you dreaded what she might say next as she threw a sly look her brother’s way. “I’m afraid I need to talk to you in private. Hope you don’t mind, (Y/N).”

“But we’re playing Hounds and Jackals… ” _The little runt!_ Though you knew you should be angry at Salen, since this was probably his idea and Roshan was merely doing what he wanted.

“I’m sorry but it’s really important!” She sounded truly abashed for doing this to you and, while you wanted to tell her to get lost when their elders were speaking, you could never say no when she looked at you with those cute chocolate eyes of hers— a trait that, unfortunately, Salen had also inherited. It had been that deceiving look he wore which convinced you to give him another chance, until you realized that beneath that facade of his there was only hardness of heart and cruelty.

_Figures_. “I’ll be on my way then.” The more distance you put between you and him, the better.

“Oh, no, no!” Roshan shook her head. “It would rude of me to make you leave like this, and I’m sure Lyna will agree on that. Please, don’t worry about us. You stay here with my dear brother. I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about.” She laughed under her breath, taking Kalyna by the hand and dragging her away. “Come, we must hurry.”

You couldn’t believe they were actually leaving you behind. Kalyna stared at you with sympathy, aware that you weren’t going to have a pleasant time with Salen, but there wasn’t much she could do to save you from him. It wasn’t in her power to do such a thing.

“Using your little sister as an excuse to annoy me? Outstanding.” Sarcasm dripped from your voice, something that didn’t escape his notice.

“Using your sister to avoid me? Predictable,” he remarked with a chuckle, and you glared daggers at him.

“Does this seem amusing to you?” Of course it was. He got you where he wanted you.

“Well, the truth is, I’ve always found your short temper entertaining,” he began, holding one of the hound pegs in his hand to inspect in an absent-minded fashion.

“So you made it a hobby to harass me, apparently.”

“Harass you? No, love; I only intend to make you understand your place. Ever since we were children, you have been too spoiled and outspoken for my liking or your own good.”

“Oh, is little Salen mad because someone dared talk back to him? Aw, how cute. That wouldn’t happen very often if he showed consideration and respect for others, don’t you think?”

Setting the object in his hand down on the board, he shrugged— clearly impassive at your words. “Laugh while you still can. Your father may have gone easy on you all these years, but rest assured that I won’t. Once you have pledged yourself to me and we have consummated, you will not dare go against me.”

The reminder that your first intimate experience, and all subsequent encounters, would be with him made you sick. If you refused him, he would force you— no doubt about that— and no one would even consider it a crime.

“Are you threatening me?”

“Take it as a warning that I will not tolerate insolence or disobedience from anyone, and certainly not from you.”

“You are despicable. I can’t believe you actually agreed to this arrangement. Out of all the men in Mars, it had to be you! Why couldn’t you choose someone else and leave me alone?”

“Why would I settle for less when I could have you?” He grabbed a lock of your hair and you flinched at his touch, slapping his hand away with a scowl. “And to think you once said you wouldn’t marry me, even if I were the last man left in the solar system. Life is such a delightful irony, isn’t it?”

“And I see you, your father and mine, have forgotten to ask my opinion.”

“A woman must do what her patriarch decides. You know it very well. Like it or not, you’re going to be mine— all mine like my dog, or any other of my possessions.” He then frowned in deep thought, considering something for a moment. “Though, compared with my dog, I will love you more… and trust you less.” At this, you had to laugh if only to conceal how miserable that statement made you feel. “You will never do the things to me you would have done to another man, batting your eyelashes without shame and giving them coy little smiles.”

_Oh?_ Did he want to bet, then?

Putting on your best facade of loving young lady, you arose with delicate poise until you were standing small and fragile before him— the way he wanted to see you. Your chiffon farasha dress, embroidered with a pectoral collar of precious stones, shadowed the curves of your body under your long silk slip but it showed just enough to draw his attention, which made you smirk in anticipation. With a sweet look in your eyes, you closed the distance between you and him, smiling tenderly as your arms slipped around his broad shoulders.

Your lips hovered his but never touched fully, and you knew he wouldn’t be able to resist when his breath caught in his throat at the sensation of your body so close to his. It took less longer than you’d expected for him to fall victim to your pretense. His strong arm wrapped around your waist and he pressed you against him, fingers tangling in your hair before he claimed your mouth in a heated kiss. It was possessive, meant to assert his ownership over you, and you played along to make him believe you longed for his touch. It would be a lie saying that his overpowering lust didn’t ignite something in you, and you knew you were at fault for that. But your contempt for him was much stronger than any odious desire you might be harboring deep inside, and you weren’t going to forget that any time soon.

He should have a taste of the affection you’d never feel for him, of the passion you’d deny him every time you were in his arms.

As the kiss came to an end, Salen parted from your flushed face, his eyes half-lidded as they took in your sweet expression that was soon replaced by one of smug triumph. Realizing you’d deceived him, he frowned in indignation and you couldn’t hold back your laughter at having hurt his pride. Your actions had clearly angered him, for he gave an irritated growl and pushed you to the divan on top of the satin cushions. Oh, the look on his face was priceless and you surely savored this small victory!

His chocolate eyes narrowed dangerously, as he circled you like you were his prey, and he retrieved his peaked cap with a forceful snatch. “I know you, my sweet. You’re a sharp-clawed treacherous little peacock, but you’re a prize that many want to claim… and I’m going to have all of you.”

He had clearly misunderstood your intentions. Even if you were his wife, you’d never be truly his and that was what you wanted to make very clear. “In your dreams. Did you think my kiss was a promise of what you would have?” How quick he was to jump to conclusions. “No, little Salen. It was to let you know what you will _not_ have. I could never love you.”

The black-haired man arched an eyebrow and scoffed in amusement, much to your surprise and discomfort as that wasn’t the reaction you were expecting from him. “Does that matter?” What a fool you’d been to believe he would care. In less than a second, however, his expression darkened and you felt a knot in your throat at the clear menace in his gaze. “You will be my wife. I will have you whenever I want you, and I will enjoy that very much. Whether you enjoy it or not is your own affair…” He placed the covering on his head and threw a last glance at you, as one of the corners of his mouth rose in a smirk, “but I think you will.”

At long last, Salen walked away and left you to sulk in your bitter desolation, incensed at the way he’d turned the tables on you. With a glower, you wiped your mouth with the back of your hand to get rid of the taste of his wicked lips and quivered as your stomach churned in disgust.

A soft meow came from beneath and you looked down to find your cat staring with concern in her blue eyes. Jumping to your arms, she purred— as if trying to comfort you— and you petted her soft fur, refusing to shed tears because of him.

“At least I have you…”

It was just an average day for the woman of Mars, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say? Salen has such a way with the ladies in my fics :P what a romantic gentleman he is!
> 
> This two-shot was heavily based on a scene of the Ten Commandments, an old movie from the 50s. Nefertiri has always been my favorite character and I thought her story was tragic and sad ;A;
> 
> You can see for yourself how I butchered the scene on my story: [[here]](https://youtu.be/-Os6wXPTv3I?t=3m13s)  
> 


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